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What's Up With Our Nation's Waters?
A status
report on the quality of our waters and what you can do to make a difference
Download
printable version of document
| What's
Inside
Inside
this report you'll find out the following:
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"River
Otter in the
Wilderness,"
Molly J., Age 10,
California, Art Finalist |
"Quick as My Thought," Rachel R., Age 8, California, Art Winner Category
II (Grades 3-6) |
"Submerge in the Wonder,"
Courtney M., Age 17,
Georgia, Art Finalist |
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"Heal the World," Eon H., Age 15, Georgia,
Art Winner Category IV (Grades 10-12) |
| Artwork
from The River of Words 2000 art contest |
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We all need clean water. After all, our bodies are at least 65 percent
water. Fish and wildlife depend on clean water to survive. We need
clean water to grow crops and to operate factories, and we need clean
water for drinking, swimming, surfing, fishing and sailing. |
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| Test
your water smarts! |
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1. |
True
or false: Watersheds are located mainly in mountainous regions
with high rainfall. |
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2. |
Circle
the correct answer: Most of the pollutants entering our waters
come from the following sources:
A. Wastewater treatment plants
B. Runoff from fields and streets
C. Factories along rivers
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3. |
True
or false: Students can join organizations to help monitor
their waters. |
| Now
read the rest of this booklet and then take the rest of the
quiz at the back to test your water smarts!
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| What is the U.S.Environmental
Protection Agency?
 The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, is responsible for
protecting human health and the natural environment from pollution.
EPA does this by conducting research, enforcing laws, developing
national policies, and providing information and technical help
to states and communities.
How often does EPA report on the nation’s
waters?
EPA and the states* are directed by the Clean
Water Act (CWA) to help protect the health of our nation’s waters.
The CWA gives states the authority and responsibility to establish
water quality standards, which set minimum requirements for fish
habitat, swimming, and drinking water sources. States, under Section
305(b) of CWA, are required to assess the health of their waters
and submit the information to EPA every two years. EPA gathers
the information from every state and prepares a report called
the National Water Quality Inventory. To see the latest 305(b)
report or other information on the quality of our nation’s waters,
visit http://www.epa.gov/305b/
on the Internet.
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* When EPA says “state,” it means states,
territories, Indian tribes, and other jurisdictions.
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This document, which was previously
published as EPA 841-F-00-005, is also available by contacting the National
Service Center for Environmental Publications, 1-800-490-9198.
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